Boiler feeding apparatus



June 9, 1964 R. B. REGAZZI BOILER FEEDING APPARATUS FIG. 1.

Filed April 25, 1961 ROMUALDO B. REGAZZI United States Patent 3,136,299 BOKLER FEEDING APPARATUS Romualdo Bertoluzzi Regazzi, Rua Cacapava 110,

Rio tie Janeiro, Brazil Filed Apr. 25, 1961, Ser. No. 105,349 Claims priority, application Brazil May 2, 1960 1 Claim. (Cl. 122-451) A boiler is more eflicient and economical when it is supplied with pre-heated Water rather than cold water. That is to say, the higherthe temperature of the feeding water introduced in the boiler, the more eflicient the boiler becomes. However, in some cases, injectors do not work satisfactorily when performing hot water suction, and alsopumps commonly used do not function efliciently when the temperature of the wateris too high.

On the other hand, if steam is used in a simple, closed andhigh container holding cold water, to force water into the boiler, the steam coming in contact with the cold surface of the water will condense and cause a fall in the boiler pressure. Soon thereafter, when the heat of the steam warms the water to a sufficiently high temperature, the pressure will be normal and the water forced into the boiler will function more efliciently.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for boiler feeding, which is simple, effectual and economical; which works safely and much better than apparatus now in use; and the controlled temperature of the water to be introduced in the boiler permits' dispensing completely with the injectors, .pumps, or the like.

A preferred and practical form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the improved system.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken on the line 22 ofFIG. 1. '1

Referring to the drawing, the vertically disposed boiler 1, heated by a suitable burner or the like (not shown),

has a horizontal flue 2 at its lower .end to conduct the heated gases from beneath the boiler to the chimney 3 "ice passage through check valve 17 and into theheatingcoils C, thus increasing the temperature of the feeding water.

An alternate feed tank 12a, identical to feed tank 12,.is installed whenever continuous feeding of the boiler is desired. This tank fills itself with hot water while container 12 emptiesitself and vice-versa, obtaining continuous rise of the feeding water. The boilers steam exhaust conduit. 13a is controlled by valve 13 such that excess steam goes straight to the tank 12'through entrance control valve 14. I

There is included in tank 12 an automatic device including two valves 15, 16 actuated by a fioat,so that, as the valve 15 is opened, the valve 16 is closed, and viceversa. As previously indicated, a check valve 17 below tank 12 permits passing of hot water from said tank to heating coils C. Thus, the steam pressure entering tank 12 forces the water therein to flow out through valve 17 and into heating coils C. When the water has been expelled from tank 12, the control members 15 and 16 operate'to cut off the inflowing steam and the valve 11 opens the conduit from tank 8 to allow the water therein to flow into tank 12 through valve 11 to refill the tank. A control valve 18, operated by steam pressure, permits excess steam to pass from tank 12 to feed tank 8.

The coils C or the like are installed in the heating chamber 2 and also in the chimney 3, to derive the benefit from the heat of gases produced in the boiler and to raise the temperature of the feeding water. The check valve 20 at theupper end of the coils C permits passage of hot water therefrom to. the mainupper feed tank 21, located above the water level of the boiler, following the direction of the arrows and obstructs passage of steam in the' opposite direction. Said feed tank 21 containing hot water and steam under pressure above the level of the boiler water, permits the efficient and fast insertion of feeding water in the boiler even if this water is highly heated.

which discharges into the atmosphere. The flue 2 and the chimney 3 contain a coil Cwhich is a part of the heating and circulating system. The chimney 3 issurrounded by a water jacket 5' having a float valve 4 at its upper end for controlling the flow of cold water into the main water jacket 5 of the boiler as shown by the arrows. It will thus be seen that the boiler, heating chamber, and stack or chimney are all surrounded by communicating water jackets. The valve 6 is controlled by a float 7 to automatically maintain the fluid level in the boiler. As

shown by dotted lines 7a in FIG. 1, the water level conof the jacket 5 itself, keeping the water in constant circulation and increasing its temperature.

Conduit 10a and valve 10 permit water from steamheight, and into the upper feed tank 21, by forcing its A second or alternate feed tank 21a, identical to tank 21, may be installed whenever continuous feeding of the boiler is desired. Thistank fills itself with hot water, while feed tank 21 is emptied and vice-versa, permitting continuous insertion of the feeding Water into the boiler. The arrangement and purpose of the tanks 21, 21a 'is'the same as that of tanks 12,- 12a; however,the tanks serve different purposes. Tank 12 raises the heated water up to the desired height while tank 21 feeds the heated water into the boiler.

A control valve 22 permits the passing of the vapor Which comes from the boiler to the main upper feed tank 21, while an automatic float actuated valve 23--24, identical to valve 1516, controls passage of water from feed tank 21 to the boiler. Steam pressure inside of tank 21 closes check valve 20 and equalizing the pressure between tank 21 and the boiler will force the water in tank 21 to flow downwardly into the boiler by gravity through valves 25 and 26. The valve 26 is a check valve and obstructs passage of steam from the boiler to tank 21. Also, a control valve 28 permits direct connection of the water jacket 5, 5 with the heating apparatus C when the flow of water is interrupted in the feed tank 12.

The valve 29 permits passage of water from the heating coils C to the upper part of the water jacket 5 when flow of water in the feed tank 12 is interrupted, thereby maintaining continuous water circulation and increasing its temperature. The check and control valve 30 pen-tilts steam exhausted from feed tank 8 to pass to jacket 5 at its upper end, prevents the rise of pressure inside the feed'tank 8, thus permitting the entry of the returning water into said tank and" also gaining the heat of the steam.

When manual installation is preferred, the automatic apparatus 7 and-the automatic valves 1 516 and 2324 will be omitted. The graduated valve 6 will be controlled by hand and the discharge of water from the feed tanks 12 and 21 will be obtained by putting the valves 14, 18, 22',a'nd 27 in motion by hand. In this installation, the feed tanks 12 and 21 will be provided for example with glass indicators such as the ones used in the boilers to indicate the level of the water inside them permitting accurate control by the operator.

Whenever continuous feeding of the boiler is desired, two more alternating feed tanks 12A and 21A will be installed. These alternating tanks are identical to feed tanks 12 and 21, and can be joined to them and will work in a way such that, while one is receiving hot water, the other is discharging and vice versa, thus constantly maintaining the cycle of feeding the boiler.

The general operation of the system will now be described.

The cold water to supply the boiler enters jacket 5, 5 where it absorbs the heat radiating from the chimney 3, the conduit 2, and the boiler 11. Hot returning water,

already partly heated, is gathered in feed tank 8 and injected by action of gravity into the feed tank 12 contain-- ing hot water and steam under pressure; Steam under pressure from the boiler passes through the conduit connecting the upper part of the boiler and the upper part of tank 12 through control valves 13 and 14 to the feed tank 12. The already partly heated water in tank 12 is forced by the incoming steam pressure to pass through check valve 17 and heating coils C, where, by absorbing more heat, the temperature of the water is raised and it is injected in the alternating feed tank 21. Thetank 21 is located above the level of the water inside the boiler itself inside the feed tank 21 and by the action ofv gravity, the

very highly heated water is introduced in the boiler in a suflicient quantity and at a desired temperature.

From the foregoing, it will be r'ecognizedthat the advantages of applicants invention are: (1) providing means (jacket 5, 5') for utilizing heat normally radiated from the boiler, flue and chimney when the boiler is fired to thereby increase theoperating efficiency ofthe boiler;

(2) eliminating injectors or pumps commonly used to circulate the heated water by using in place thereof the steam pressure generated by the apparatus and directing the steam to supply tanks (8, 12, 21); and (3) by appropriate control valves (14, 18, 15, 16 for tank 12) (2h, 22, 27, 23, 24 for tank 21), operated either manually or automatically, the steam and water pressure in the supply tanks is equalized, causing the water therein to be evacuated and circulated through the system into the boiler. The purpose of tank 12 is to raise the heated water up to the desired height, whereas tank 21 injects controlled amounts of water into the boiler.

I Claim:

In a steam boiler having side walls and a heating space, a chimney, and a flue pipe connecting said heating space and chimney, apparatus for continuously heating and recirculating water introduced into said boiler, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a water receiving jacket surrounding the walls of the boiler, the flue pipe, andthe chimney,'va lve meanscontrolling entry of unheated water into said jacket, a receiving tank in communication with said jacket at a point remote from said valve means, a

first feed tank disposed lower than said receiving tank andlconnected thereto, heating coils disposed in the heating space in said boiler and in said hue and chimney, means connecting the top of said first feed tank to the top of saidboiler to permit the introduction of steam into said first feed tank, means connecting the lower portion of said first feed tank to said heating coils, control means within said first feed tank to alternately permit the introduction of steam and water to said tank, a second feed tank located at a level higher than the top of said boiler, said tank communicating with said heating coils to receive heated water therefrom and also communicating with the upper portion of said boiler to introduce heated water I into said second feed tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 825,746 Moffat July 10, 1906 1,991,026 Murray Feb. 12, 1935 2,291,872 Brantly Aug. 4, 1942 2,627,252 Mohn Feb. 3, 1953 Kuljian Jan. 27, 1959 

